How to Make Indoor Garden Windows

A potted plant ready for sunlight from a garden window.

If you are a gardener, you probably like to bring some of your beautiful plants and flowers inside the home for decorating. With just a few tools and materials, and a little ingenuity, you can turn your kitchen window or another window needing a little flash into a beautiful display for your favorite plants. A bay window makes a perfect indoor garden area. Small- or medium-sized kitchen windows are suitable for growing indoor herbs so you'll have them immediately available for cooking. It's also a good idea to have a window situated so you can bring your prized flowers and plants inside when the weather is disagreeable.

Things You'll Need

• Shelving material: glass, wood or other sturdy material
• Molding
• Containers to plant your flowers and plants in
• Seeds or potted plants
• Potting soil
• Hammer
• Nails
• Sandpaper
• Level

Instructions

1. Planning ahead will ensure that you are successful with your garden window project. Draw a plan on a piece of paper. Decide how long your window shelves should be, and how tall each shelf should be. Make sure you leave enough space between the shelves for your plants to grow taller. If you have a windowsill, you can attach molding directly to the window jambs and inset your shelves. If you have no windowsill, you will need to buy brackets to install the shelves on both sides of the window frame. Make accurate measurements and mark them on your sketch.

2. 

   Saw the wood to fit your garden window space.

   Measure and cut the wood or other material to the correct width and length. If you use glass, make sure it is thick enough to handle the weight of the plants. Be sure to finish the edges with sandpaper or molding so the edges are not jagged or sharp. Cut molding for each shelf. Paint or stain the wood to match or contrast your window frame.

3. 

   Window orchids.

   Cut two pieces of quarter-round molding for each shelf to make the shelf brackets. Sand the edges and paint to match your color scheme. Attach the molding, one flat side against the window frame and one flat side up, on both sides by using finishing nails. Use a level to make sure the shelf does not tip. Repeat this process for each shelf until all of them are in place.

4. 

   Choose which plants will benefit from a sunny window spot.

   Re-pot your plants if necessary in pretty, mismatched bowls, cups or mugs. To allow for drainage, layer the bottom of each container with pebbles. Choose which plants will do well in your indoor window garden.

Tips & Warnings

• It is best if your window receives at least five hours of sun a day.

• Flourescent lights can help keep the plants healthy if there is a lack of sun.